Hewlett-Packard, also known as HP, was built in 1939 on the dreams of two Stanford University friends. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard rented a garage in Silicon Valley and, on limited resources, followed their destiny to develop one of the of world’s largest technology companies.

Known as the ‘Birthplace of Silicon Valley’, a 12x18 foot garage at 367 Addison Avenue in Palo Alto is now a historical landmark, as the workspace used by Hewlett and Packard to start their company.

The two Stanford engineering students followed the advice of their professor to start their own electronics company, rather than joining a firm. In 1938, Bill and Dave produced the Model 200A audio oscillator - the first practical and affordable machine capable of generating high frequencies. The machine retailed at $55 per unit and caught the attention of sound engineers nationwide, as most audio oscillators cost roughly $500 at the time.

The Model 200B was the second line of the oscillator that allowed sound engineers the ability to test audio frequencies with slight modifications from the original 200A design. Of everyone who was fascinated by the release of HP’s products, there was one engineer who bought eight Model 200B oscillators for his upcoming film. The film desperately needed a way to monitor its sound, and Hewlett-Packard made that possible. In 1940, Disney’s landmark movie Fantasia was released with the help of Bill and Dave.

After Fantasia’s debut, Hewlett-Packard formalized their partnership on January 1, 1939 and decided the company name through a coin toss.

Over the past 75 years, HP has grown to become a leader in the technology industry. The foundation of the company has always been to “create a better future for everyone through HP’s actions and innovation”. HP has not only focused on developing a line of technological products; such as: computers, printers, copiers, and more; they have also dedicated their resources in a separate department, whose focus is advancing the health and well-being of people.

HP has made efforts to develop different areas within the enterprise, which focus on finding a solution to worldwide issues, such as: